1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to stairs structure, particularly supports to position the steps and risers along a stringer.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
Certain patents particularly drew our attention:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,977 Lawrence, Jul. 18th, 2000, illustrates a method and an apparatus to build staircases. It comprises a support to build steps supported by a longitudinal beam. Several holes allow different heights and lengths, that is the tread of the steps. The support is made of a central block with legs that overlap the stringer. A total of four (4) parts is required. The external sheet is visible and must be covered.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,032, Buzby, May 4, 1999, illustrates a staircase structure. It shows supports for steps. The horizontal side has a flared portion 8, which allows adjusting the height. The step run cannot vary.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,520, Vochatzer, has sides comprising two lower brackets 42,48 screwed in place, without means to control height or length. Top strip 29 is positioned lengthwise onto a dotted stringer thanks to a return 32. The same applies to the flanges 59,58. Locating flanges are measured beforehand to correspond to a desired slope, for instance 7 inch rise and 11 inch length. Such a system cannot be adapted to various slopes unless designed at the time of stamping of bracket 41.
It is a general objective of the invention to provide a support for steps that can be used for all types of staircases and be easy to install. This support includes a horizontal side, which supports the steps on the stringer while allowing a variation of angle of the stringer. At the same time a vertical side allows fixing the riser.
Another objective is to provide a support for steps including a corner plate whose ends include wider parts intended to overlap, when installed. These sides, horizontal and vertical, have reinforcements to fix the steps and risers. Moreover, the wide part of the horizontal side may include a horizontal adjustment slit and the wide part on the vertical side includes a series of holes among which at least one will coincide with the slit at the time of the installation. Each wide part comprises a second series of fixing holes, sufficiently spaced apart to secure the contact with the stringer. Instead of a slit one may use a pair of overlapping rulers.